Safety gas cock



Patented May 27, 1924.

ARTEMAS H. HOBART, OF DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

' SAFETY GAS COCK.

Application led April 19, 1923.

To all whom t may] concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTEMAS H. Hon-mr, a citizen ot the United States, and a resident ot Duxbury, in the county of Plymouth and State otMassachusetts, have invented an In'iprovement in Safety Gas Cocks, of which the Jfollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention aims to provide a novel and impro-ved safety gas-cock having means automatic-ally to shut ott the gas when the user closes the cock beyond a predetermined point, and means automatically to shut oft' the gas when the conduit attached to the cock becomes detached accidentally.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanyingr drawings of one specific embodiment thereof. while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a safety gas-cock exemplitying the invention, showing the same in connection with two conduits, one of which is intended to be attached to and detached from the cock at will from time to time, as the eXigencies ot the situation may require;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 1, exceptthat the handle of the cock is removed;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5, are diagrammatic views illustrative of the operation ot the. device, Fig. 3 showing the cock fully opened, Fig. at' showing the same partially closed, and Fig. sho-wing the same fully closed; and

Fig. 6 is a detailI elevation of the plug valve, the latch-releasing cam, and the lostmotion coupling` device between the valve and the spring.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of my invention which is selected ior exemplification, there is shown a gascock comprising a valve casing 8, in which is mounted a valve 9 (see Fig. 3), herein in the form of a tapered plug provided with a transverse passage 10 adapted to open and close. communication between two ports 1.1 provided in the casing. The plug is held in place by a screw 12 and washer 13 (see Fig. 1). The valve is provided with a stem 14, to which is secured a handle 15, by

Serial No. 633,110.

which it is turned to and tro to open and close the ports. The gas-cock as thus iar described is ot usual construction.

In the use of gas-cocks, it frequently happens that the user either turns on the gas insufficiently,- or turns it down to such an extent that the flame is likely to be extinguished easily, with the result that gas commences to escape into the room. To prevent either ot these tendencies, I have provided means for automatically restoring the valve to its closed position, unless the user turns it to its fully opened position, and for automatically closing the valve when the user, in turning down the gas-reaches a predetermined point in the closing movement ot the valve. To these ends, I have provided a valve-closing spring 16, one end of which is secured. as by a screw 17. to the valve casing, while its other end rest-s against an abutment, such as a pin 1S, the latter being carried by one member 19, or a lostmotion coupling, which connectsA the spring with the valve, the other member Q0 ot the couplingI being suitably formed on or af- .fixed to the valve. The coupling memberl) is provided with a lug 2.1 (see Fig. (i), which is adapted to cooperate with a tooth 22 presented by the member 20. In the operation of this valve, this lug plays to and lfro between the tooth and a stop, herein a pin 23, mounted in fixed position on the valve casing. On one end, the stop limits the opening of the valve by coopera-tion with a lug 21, and on the other hand the stopl limits the closingmovement 'of `the valve by cooperation with a tooth 24 presented by the coupling member '20.

The spring, acting through the coupling, normally holds the valve in its closed position, and yieldingly' resists opening movement thereof. At a predetermined point in the opening movement ot the valve, herein its iully opened position, the spring is locked, and itsaction on the valve is nulliiied by locking means, herein comprising a latch or pawl 25, which is adapted to cooperate with a latch-like tooth 26, presented by the coupling member 19. This is urged toward the coupling member '1 9 by an appropriate 1 spring 2T. conveniently secured tothe valve casing` as by screws 28. IVhen, therefore, during the opening movement of the valve, the latter reaches its fully opened position, represented in Fig. 3, the latch snaps into place behind the tooth 26, and locks the coupling member 1.9 against reverse rotation under the influence of the spring.

Thus it will be understood that the user must at first turn on the valve to its fully opened position; otherwise, it will be closed by the spring.4 After the valve is fully opened, however, it may be partially closed by the user, but when a predetermined sate point is reached in the closing movement of the valve, the latch is automatically disengaged by a cam 29 conveniently presented by the tooth 22. The point of release of' the latch may be predetermined by appropriate adjusting means, herein a screw threaded into the latch, and constituting a wip'er, which cooperates with the cam. By comparison ot Figs. 3 and 4, it should be apparent that, when duringI the manual closing ot the valve the cam pushes the latch ont of engagement with the tooth on the coupling member 19, the latter is thereby unlocked, and the spring being now unrestrained, rotates the coupling member forcibly towards its initial position.` ln the movement of the couplingmem'ber, its lug 21 engages the tooth 22 on the other coupling member, and thus carries the valve to its closed position, as will be evident from an examination of Fig.

then desired, the described mechanism may be utilized to close the valve in the event of accidental disconnection ot a conduit 3l from the valve casing. The conduit, in tliepresent example, is provided with a sleeve-like terminal portion 32, usually made of rubber adapted to tit over and about a corrugated nipple 33 oit' usual form, attached to the valve casing. A suitable connection is provided between the sleeveand the latch whereby', when the sleeve withdrawn beyond a predetermined point, the latch is tripped. thereby permitting the valve to be closed by the spring. ln the present example. this is conveniently accomplished by the provision ot a spring tongue 34, secured as by screws 35 to the valve casing, and resting against the rubber sleeve, under considerable tension. lVhen, therefore, the sleeve is accidentalhv withdrawn from the position which it normaty occupies, the spring tongue goes in the direction ot the corrugated nipple, and acts through appropriate instrumentalities to disengage the latch, in the present example by providing the latter, with what may be termed a. tail 35, which is adapted to be engaged by a lug 3G. presented by the tongue 34. ln Vthe present example, the latelh is mounted on a 'tulcrum presented by a screw 23T, threaded into the valve casing. To iacilitate the reattachment ot the rubber sleeve to the corrugated nipple, the tongue Si is provided with an outwardly directed terminal portion 3S (see Fig. 2). The

general operation ot the device should be evidentA` without further description.

Having thus described one embodiment of the invention, but without limiting myseli thereto, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

l. In a valve construction, the combination o't a valve, a valve closing spring, a spring locking pawl and ratchet tor rendering said spring ineffective to close said valve when said valve reaches a predetermined open position, and pawl disengaging means operable at a predetermined point in the manual closing movement of said valve, thereby to permit said valve to continue itsI closing movement under the influence oi said spring. 1

2. ln a valve construction, the combination otl a valve, a valve closing spring, a spring locking pawl and ratchet for rendering` said spring inediiective to close said valve when said valve reaches a predetermined open position, a pawl disengaging cam operable during the manual closing of said valve to disengage said pawl trom said ratchet, and adjustable means cooperating with said cam to predetermine the point ot disengagement oi.: said pawl with reference to the closing` movement otl said valve.

3. In a valve construction, the combination ot' a valve, a spring to maintain said valve in its closed position and to restore said valve to such position, locking` means automatically to lock said spring when said valve reaches its t'ully opened position and to prevent restoration of said valve from its fully opened position to its closed position under the influence ot said spring, and means to cause said locking means to release said spring at a predetermined point in the manually operated closing movement ot said Naive, thereby to render said valve again subject to the elosingiulhience ot said spring.

et. In a valve construction, 'the combination ot a valve, a spring normally resisting opening ot said valve, means tor nulli'tlving the ei'fect oit said spring,` on said valve when said valve reaches a predetermined point'in its opening movement in opposition to the resistance of said spring, and means for causing the restoration of said valve to the closing influence ot' said spring` when said valve reaches a predetermined point in its 'closing movement.

ln a valve construction, the combination of a valve casing, a valve mounted to turn therein to open and to close, a rotary member. a. spring attached at one end to said casing and at its other end to said member and constantly tending to resist movement ol said member i'rom its initial position and to restore said member to such position when moved therefrom, means comprising a lostemotion coupling between said 'valveaud .said member yto cause opening movement ot' said valve to produce turning movement of said member in opposition to said spring, locking means for locking said member against movement toward its initial position when said valve reaches a predetermined open position, and means for causing said locking means to unlock and to release said member at a predetermined position in the manual closing ot' said valve, thereby to permit said spring to act through said member and said coupling to close said valve.

6. In a valve construction, the combination of a valve casing, a conduit attached thereto, a valve mounted in said casing to open and close communication.with said conduit, a valve closing spring, locking means for locking said spring to prevent the same from closing said valve when said valve is opened to a predetermined point, and means operable by movement of said conduit relative to said valve casing to cause said locking means to unlock and to permit said spring to close said valve.

7. In a valve construction, the combination of a valve casing, a conduit attached thereto, a valve in said casing to open and close communication with said conduit, a valve closing spring, locking means including a latch for locking said spring tol prevent the same from closing said valve When said valve is opened to a predetermined point, and means including a spring operable by movement of said conduit relative to said valve casing to cause said latch to release said valve Closing spring and to permit the latter to close said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTEMAS H. HOBART. 

